First Phrases

Padel & pickleball · Português

Padel & pickleball in Portuguese: 10 phrases for tonight

Games are played in fours, so open sessions often need one more person. Turn up, say hello, say you are happy to be matched, and the court does the rest.

Register: Informal (friendly). "Tu" is standard on the court. Portuguese uses "padel" (PAH-del) and "campo" for the court.

How to read the sounds: European Portuguese swallows unstressed vowels, so syllables sound shorter than they look. (n) = nasal vowel, don't sound the n. sh = the 'sh' of 'ship' for final s and x. Stress is in CAPITALS.

10 phrases, door to goodbye

  1. 01 · Arriving
    Olá! Falta-vos alguém para jogar?
    Say it like: oh-LAH! FAHL-tah-voosh ahl-GAYN PAH-ruh zhoo-GAR
    Hi! Are you missing a player?
  2. 02 · Saying you're new
    Sou novo/nova no grupo e vim sozinho/sozinha.
    Say it like: soh NOH-voo/NOH-vah noo GROO-poo ee veem soo-ZEE-nyoo/soo-ZEE-nyah
    I'm new to the group and I came on my own.
  3. 03 · Asking how it works
    Como é que se organiza? Troca-se de par?
    Say it like: KOH-moo eh kuh suh or-gah-NEE-zah? TROH-kah-suh duh par
    How is it organised? Do we change partners?
  4. 04 · Small talk
    Jogas padel há muito tempo?
    Say it like: ZHOH-gahsh PAH-del ah MOOEEN-too TEM-poo
    Have you been playing padel for a long time?
  5. 05 · Small talk
    Vêm sempre a este campo?
    Say it like: vaym SEM-pruh ah AYSH-tuh KAHM-poo
    Do you always come to this court?
  6. 06 · Small talk
    E tu, onde vives?
    Say it like: ee too, OHN-duh VEE-vezh
    And you, where do you live?
  7. 07 · Being a beginner
    Sou principiante, não há problema?
    Say it like: soh preen-see-PYAHN-tuh, now(n) ah proo-BLAY-muh
    I'm a beginner, is that okay?
  8. 08 · Cheering a shot
    Boa jogada! Que bola!
    Say it like: BOH-ah zhoo-GAH-dah! kuh BOH-lah
    Nice play! What a ball!
  9. 09 · Calling the ball
    É minha! / Desculpa, essa era tua.
    Say it like: eh MEE-nyah / dush-KOOL-pah, EH-sah EH-rah TOO-ah
    Mine! / Sorry, that one was yours.
  10. 10 · Leaving & keeping in touch
    Obrigado/Obrigada pelo jogo. Podes adicionar-me ao grupo de WhatsApp?
    Say it like: oh-bree-GAH-doo/oh-bree-GAH-dah PAY-loo ZHOH-goo. POH-dezh ah-dee-syoo-NAR-muh ow GROO-poo duh WAHTS-ahp
    Thanks for the game. Can you add me to the WhatsApp group?

3 things you will probably hear

  1. H1 · You may hear
    Somos três, falta-nos um.
    Say it like: SOH-moosh traysh, FAHL-tah-noosh oom
    There are three of us, we need one more.
  2. H2 · You may hear
    Tens raquete? Se não, empresto-te uma.
    Say it like: taynsh rah-KET-uh? suh now(n), em-PREHSH-too-tuh OO-muh
    Do you have a racket? If not, I'll lend you one.
  3. H3 · You may hear
    Vamos trocar de lado.
    Say it like: VAH-moosh troh-KAR duh LAH-doo
    Let's switch sides.

Go and try it

Find padel and pickleball sessions on Come Alone

Quick answers

What do I say when I arrive alone at a padel or pickleball session in Portuguese?

Start with: "Olá! Falta-vos alguém para jogar?" (Hi! Are you missing a player?). Then say you are new: "Sou novo/nova no grupo e vim sozinho/sozinha." (I'm new to the group and I came on my own.)

Should I use informal or formal Portuguese at a padel or pickleball session?

"Tu" is standard on the court. Portuguese uses "padel" (PAH-del) and "campo" for the court.

How do I ask to meet again after a padel or pickleball session in Portuguese?

Try: "Obrigado/Obrigada pelo jogo. Podes adicionar-me ao grupo de WhatsApp?" (Thanks for the game. Can you add me to the WhatsApp group?)

Same evening, another language

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Portuguese, another evening

Pub quiz Padel & pickleball Run club Sauna Book club Dinner with strangers Language café

All 7 × 6 cards · Phrases for a specific event near you

How it works

  1. Pick the evening and the language people will speak.
  2. Read the ten phrases in order: they follow the evening from the door to goodbye. Tap the speaker to hear each one in your device's voice.
  3. Print the card or keep it open on your phone. Native-speaker review is still pending; a "check" mark flags a phrase we are least sure of.
  4. Find the event on Come Alone, open it in Meet & Mint to see who else is going, and say the first phrase for real.

firstphrases.app/tonight/padel/pt/ · Meet & Mint